Honolulu receives rail delivery despite project's hold status

The first 3,000 tons of steel track for Honolulu's rail system arrived on Oahu last week. The shipment, more than 13,000 tons of steel track and other track-related materials, was blessed at a ceremony held Tuesday at Kalaeloa Harbor.

"The signal here is that we're on track," said Dan Grabauskas, Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transporation's executive director and CEO. "This is the actual track that the trains will be operating on. We had the opportunity to lock in the price for all of the rail for the project and we were able to get a good price, so the fluctuation or rail prices in the future will not affect us."

The steel rail was manufactured in Pueblo, Colo., and made specifically for the transit project. About 140 miles of track will be used, including tracks running in each direction and a third rail used to power the system.

"This is a great step," said Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle. "It says that we can all come together as a community and support this project."

From Kalaeloa, the steel will be transported to project sites in Leeward and West Oahu, where it will be stored until construction of the rail transit system resumes next year. The project is currently on hold while HART completes archaeological inventory survey fieldwork.

In addition to the steel rails, other track-related materials and accessories include concrete ties, fasteners, third rail with accessories and special trackwork, which will be installed throughout the project's elevated guideway and maintenance yard. The total cost for all the products is $77.4 million.

A second shipment of another 3,000 tons of steel is scheduled to arrive in Oahu next month.